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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6619 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6619
To authorize preferential treatment for certain imports from the
Pacific Islands.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 11, 2025
Mr. Case introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize preferential treatment for certain imports from the
Pacific Islands.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Regional Opportunities for
Sustainable Prosperity and Economic Resilience in the Pacific Act'' or
the ``PROSPER in the Pacific Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States has longstanding and enduring
cultural, historic, economic, strategic, and people-to-people
connections with the Pacific Islands, based on shared values,
cultural histories, common interests, and a commitment to
fostering mutual understanding and cooperation;
(2) the economies of the Pacific Islands countries face
significant challenges including geographic isolation, limited
economic diversification, vulnerability to natural disasters,
and underdeveloped infrastructure and trade capacity, that can
make conventional economic indicators based on average national
income poor measures of development progress and welfare
outcomes;
(3) strengthening U.S.-Pacific Islands economic ties
through a preferential trade program would promote inclusive
economic development, create sustainable job opportunities, and
improve standards of living in the region; and
(4) a U.S.-led preferential trade program would also make
Americans safer, stronger, and more prosperous by advancing a
free and open Indo-Pacific, prioritizing sovereignty, economic
independence, and the rule of law.
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
(a) In General.--The President shall authorize the provision of
preferential treatment under section 4 to articles that are imported
directly from a Pacific Islands country into the customs territory of
the United States if the President determines that the country--
(1) meets the requirements set forth in paragraphs (1),
(2), and (3) of section 104 of the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3703);
(2) does not meet any of the bases for ineligibility under
section 502(b)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2462(b)(2)) and does not meet any of the additional bases for
ineligibility under subsection (c); and
(3) after taking into account the factors set forth in
paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (c) of section 502 of
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2462) and the additional
factors set forth in subsection (d), the country meets the
eligibility requirements of such section 502.
Any income threshold requirements applicable for purposes of
determining whether a country is eligible to be designated as a
beneficiary developing country or least-developed beneficiary
developing country under title V of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2461 et seq.) shall not apply with respect to determining whether a
Pacific Islands country is eligible for preferential treatment under
section 4.
(b) Withdrawal, Suspension, or Limitation of Preferential
Treatment; Mandatory Graduation.--The provisions of subsection (d) of
section 502 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2462) shall apply with
respect to Pacific Island countries to the same extent and in the same
manner as such provisions apply with respect to beneficiary developing
countries under title V of that Act (19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq.).
(c) Additional Bases for Ineligibility.--The President may not
authorize the provision of preferential treatment under section 4 to
articles that are imported directly from a Pacific Islands country into
the customs territory of the United States if any of the following
applies:
(1) Such country fails to effectively afford
internationally recognized worker rights to workers in the
country (including any designated zone in that country).
(2) Such country engages in gross violations of
internationally recognized human rights in that country
(including any designated zone in that country).
(3) Such country fails to effectively enforce its
environmental laws, regulations, or other measures, or to
fulfill its international environmental obligations, including
as such obligations relate to public health and illegal,
unreported, and unregulated fishing.
(d) Additional Factors Affecting Country Designation.--In
determining whether to authorize the provision of preferential
treatment under section 4 to articles that are imported directly from a
Pacific Islands country into the customs territory of the United
States, the President shall take into account--
(1) whether or not such country effectively affords to
workers in that country (including any designated zone in that
country) internationally recognized worker rights;
(2) the extent to which such country effectively enforces
its environmental laws, regulations, and other measures, and
fulfills its international environmental obligations, including
as such obligations relates to public health and illegal,
unreported, and unregulated fishing; and
(3) the extent to which such country has established, or is
making continual progress toward establishing--
(A) the rule of law, political pluralism, and the
right to due process, a fair trial, and equal
protection under the law;
(B) economic policies to reduce poverty increase
the availability of health care and educational
opportunities, expand physical infrastructure, promote
the development of private enterprise, and encourage
the formation of capital markets through micro-credit
or other programs; and
(C) a system to combat corruption and bribery, such
as signing and implementing the Convention on Combating
Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International
Business Transactions.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN BENEFITS.
The President is authorized to designate articles as eligible
articles from a Pacific Islands country that is listed as eligible for
benefits under section 3(a) to the same extent and in the same manner
as the President is authorized to designate articles as eligible
articles from least developed beneficiary developing countries under
section 503 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2463), including
subsections (a)(2) and (b) of such section.
SEC. 5. FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH PACIFIC ISLANDS COUNTRIES.
(a) Declaration of Policy.--Congress declares that free trade
agreements should be negotiated, where feasible, with interested
countries in the Pacific Islands, in order to serve as the catalyst for
increasing trade between the United States and the Pacific Islands and
increasing private sector investment in the Pacific Islands.
(b) Plan Requirement.--
(1) In general.--The President, taking into account the
willingness of the Governments of Pacific Islands countries to
engage in negotiations to enter into free trade agreements,
shall develop a plan for the purpose of negotiating and
entering into one or more trade agreements with interested
beneficiary Pacific Islands countries.
(2) Elements of plan.--The plan shall include the
following:
(A) The specific objectives of the United States
with respect to negotiations described in paragraph (1)
and a suggested timetable for achieving those
objectives.
(B) The benefits to both the United States and the
relevant Pacific Islands countries with respect to the
applicable free trade agreement or agreements.
(C) A mutually agreed-upon timetable for the
negotiations.
(D) The implications for and the role of regional
and subregional organizations in the Pacific Islands
with respect to such free trade agreement or
agreements.
(E) Subject matter anticipated to be covered by the
negotiations and United States laws, programs, and
policies, as well as the laws of participating eligible
Pacific Islands countries and existing bilateral and
multilateral and economic cooperation and trade
agreements, that may be affected by the agreement or
agreements.
(F) Procedures to ensure the following:
(i) Adequate consultation with the Congress
and the private sector during the negotiations.
(ii) Consultation with the Congress
regarding all matters relating to
implementation of the agreement or agreements.
(iii) Approval by the Congress of the
agreement or agreements.
(iv) Adequate consultations with the
relevant Pacific Islands governments and
Pacific Islands regional and subregional
intergovernmental organizations during the
negotiation of the agreement or agreements.
(c) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 12 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the President shall prepare and transmit
to the Congress a report containing the plan developed pursuant to
subsection (b).
SEC. 6. TRADE FACILITATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the President shall, in consultation with the Governments of
eligible Pacific Islands countries, establish a trade facilitation and
capacity building program for the Pacific Islands--
(1) to enhance the Governments of eligible Pacific Islands
countries to support successful exporters and to build
awareness among potential exporters in eligible Pacific Islands
countries about opportunities abroad and ways to manage trade
documentation and regulations in the United States and other
countries, including through outreach to civil society
organizations, indigenous groups, and trade associations;
(2) to provide export finance training for financial
institutions in eligible Pacific Islands countries and the
Governments of eligible Pacific Islands countries;
(3) to assist the Governments of eligible Pacific Islands
countries in maintaining publication of all trade regulations,
forms for exporters and importers, tax and tariff rates, and
other documentation relating to exporting goods on the internet
and developing a robust public-private dialogue for eligible
Pacific Islands countries to identify timelines for
implementation of key reforms and solutions, as provided for
under the Agreement on Trade Facilitation of the World Trade
Organization; and
(4) to increase access to guides for importers and
exporters on the internet, including rules and documentation
for United States tariff preference programs.
SEC. 7. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
The President shall submit to Congress, not later than 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through
2036, a comprehensive report on the trade and investment policy of the
United States for the Pacific Islands, and on the implementation of
this Act.
SEC. 8. TERMINATION.
No duty-free treatment provided under this Act shall remain in
effect after December 31, 2036.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ``internationally recognized worker rights''
includes--
(A) the right of association;
(B) the right to organize and bargain collectively;
(C) a prohibition on the use of any form of forced
or compulsory labor;
(D) a minimum age for the employment of children,
and a prohibition on the ``worst forms of child
labor'', as defined in section 507(6) of the Trade Act
of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2467(6));
(E) acceptable conditions of work with respect to
minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety
and health;
(F) the elimination of discrimination with respect
to employment and occupation; and
(G) the elimination of violence or threats of
violence against workers, including violence related to
gender-based violence or harassment in the workplace
and violence related to workers exercising or
attempting to exercise any of the rights described in
subparagraphs (A) through (F).
(2) The terms ``Pacific Islands'', ``Pacific Islands
country'', ``country in the Pacific Islands'', and ``countries
in the Pacific Islands'' means the Cook Islands, the Republic
of Fiji, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall
Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of
Nauru, Niue, the Republic of Palau, the Independent State of
Papua New Guinea, the Independent State of Samoa, the Solomon
Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of
Vanuatu.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
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